Treasure Hunting Places

Richardson’s Rock Ranch

Written By: admin
-
Apr•
23•10

Richardson’s Rock Ranch

Treasure Hunting for Oregon Thunder Eggs

So are you ready to get some beautiful thunder eggs for yourself? Well you’ve come to the right place Richardson’s Rock Ranch just outside of Madras, OR may be one of the worlds best places to find thunder eggs.

Hunting for Oregon Thunder Eggs

Richardson’s Rock Ranch has six different thunder egg beds for you to pick from, if you want you can spend a little bit of time at each one and get a whole selection of thunder eggs for yourself.

The thunder egg beds at the ranch produce many different colors from red, to green, even some filled with moss agate are found in the thunder egg beds on the ranch.

Some of the hardest to get are thunder eggs that have a type of agate in them that appear to reflect light much like opal.

The thunder egg beds are located about 8 miles up dirt roads from the main shop. Be sure to stop in at the shop so that they can give you the map you’ll need to find your way to the beds.

Be aware that if it rains these roads may be closed, and won’t be opened until they are safe.

Here’s a list of their thunder egg beds with a description of how easy or hard it may be to dig:

Pony Butte Bed: This has the easiest digging.
Blue Bed: This can be easy to moderate digging.
Red Bed: This can be moderate to hard digging.
Moss Bed: This is hard digging, but the payoff is that some of the eggs have beautiful red or gold moss in them.
Flat Bed: Extremely hard, need to know what you’re doing to dig here.
Opal Bed: This is moderate digging. Must have a 4 wheel drive to do this one.

Equipment Needed to Dig for Thunder Eggs

So what kind of gear might you want to bring with you to dig for thunder eggs at Richardson’s Rock Ranch? Well at the ranch they will provide you a shovel and a bucket if they have them available. So here’s a list of gear to think about for yourself:

-Kneepads
-Safety glasses (sharp pieces of stone in you eye will ruin the day)
-Rock hammer (useful if you plan on just digging a little or a lot)
-Shovel
-Miners pick
-5 Gallon Bucket
-Food and water

Treasure Hunting For Thunder Eggs In Oregan.

At the Richardson’s Rock Ranch you will be charged 75 cents per pound for anything you want to take. Just for perspective a full 5 gallon bucket will be about 50 lbs, so that would cost you just under $38 for the full bucket. They will also cut your finds for you at a price of 25 cents per square inch.

Getting to Richardson’s Rock Ranch

The ranch is open for digging April-September 7am to 5 pm every day. Be sure you are there by 3pm or they won’t let you go up to the beds to dig.

To go to Richardson’s Rock Ranch to search for thunder eggs you’ll need to fly into either Salem or Portland, OR. These cities are 94 and 97 miles respectively from the ranch, so be sure to have a rental car waiting, you may actually want an SUV, and will need a 4×4 if you plan on going to the Opal Bed.

You can stay in a hotel in Madras, OR only 11 miles from the ranch, or if you like you can camp at the ranch. This is primitive camping and you must bring your own supplies including firewood, because the ranch does not provide this.

Directions to Richardson’s Rock Ranch

To get to the ranch from Madras take US Highway 97 North until you see milepost 81 the Richardson’s sign is located with it. From here follow the signs for 3 miles to the shop.

If you enjoy hunting for thunder eggs you may enjoy hunting for geodes throughout many parts of the country if so see our Geodes page.

Contacting Richardson’s Rock Ranch

For more information about the ranch or about the thunder egg beds call or email: